About RIMU

Auckland Council Research and Evaluation Unit, RIMU | Te Rangahau me te Arotake

Head of Research, Evaluation and Monitoring: Dr Jonathan Benge

The Research and Evaluation Unit, RIMU (Te Rangahau me te Arotake), part of Auckland Council's Auckland Plan, Strategy and Research department in the Chief Planning Office, is council’s environmental, social, economic and cultural research centre. We provide the high-quality evidence that assists policy development, implementation and evaluation. We offer a range of research services to all council departments and council-controlled organisations and promote council research results and publications to the wider community.

Our main activities

RIMU manages council's evidence gathering functions, including research, monitoring, evaluation and reporting to ensure that council’s decision-making is based on robust evidence in the context of growth and change.

RIMU’s work supports and informs the council’s core function, which includes planning for growth and meeting legislative requirements under the Resource Management Act 1991 and the Local Government Acts in relation to social, economic, land use and environmental issues.

RIMU is a multi-disciplinary unit with skilled professionals who deliver these requirements. By linking research, policy and implementation, RIMU is uniquely placed to foster innovative and collaborative approaches to the complex issues Auckland faces now and in the future.

RIMU provides an important role in New Zealand’s national environmental monitoring programme by monitoring and reporting on the state and trends of Auckland’s environment. Read more about council's environmental monitoring programmes.

A core responsibility of the council is to manage and develop Auckland in a context of sustained growth, so it is important that decision-makers have a clear understanding of the implications of this growth and development in the region. RIMU also provides in-house support for evaluation and quality assurance. The teams respond to the needs of council decision-makers interpreting primary and secondary evidence and data as required as well as publishing research results for public use. 

We maintain Auckland Council’s evidence base by:

• collecting and managing qualitative and quantitative data
• analysing data using statistical analysis and modelling
• learning from others, including bench-marking and international comparisons
• looking forward by using scenario development and forecasting
• monitoring national and international trends, events and government policy developments.

We write, distribute and promote reports, articles, technical publications and research papers. We help identify research and monitoring priorities and assist with experimental design and efficient data collection.

RIMU supports robust practices and provides the justification and transparency for council’s decision-making that ultimately shapes Auckland and the environment in which we live.

For a list of current staff and more information read RIMU's Who we are pamphlet. 

This website

Knowledge Auckland is a place to find and share research, information and data about Auckland including Auckland Council research and technical publications.

This website also hosts publications and research resources from a variety of other sources (government reports, other local authority publications, research organisation reports, university research publications, community organisation reports, etc.) and aims to provide decision-makers, researchers, and communities with good access to the information and analysis needed to plan for Auckland’s future.

Technical publications published before 2010

Technical publications (TPs) published by previous Auckland councils before 2010 (including Auckland Regional Council TPs) are not always available on this website. Please send your request for previous technical publications to rimu@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. Pdf copies are supplied quickly by email, usually within two to three working days.

Other websites

Auckland Counts – Census information

Auckland economic profile (provided by Infometrics Ltd)

Environmental data

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Note that Knowledge Auckland is a website that changes as new publications, research information and data become available. We welcome comment or questions, and advice on new content. 

Please send your comments and suggestions for new items to rimu@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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